With so many Catholic books on the
market, it is hard to know which books are both readable and enjoyable
for the average person, and remain true to Catholic doctrine. Two books
that fit that bill and that can be purchased at any local bookstore are
Catholicism
for Dummies by the Reverends John Trigilio and Kenneth Brighenti,
and
Lord
Have Mercy by Scott Hahn.
Both books carry the Imprimatur and
Nihil Obstat, assurance from the Church that nothing in the book is in
opposition to Church teaching.
Catholicism for Dummies is a
wonderful and concise book about the myriad of beliefs and practices of
the Catholic Church. It is recommended for both non-Catholics and
Catholics alike, and is a terrific reference and resource for anyone
with interest in, or questions about, Catholicism. While not a
catechism, its pages are filled with lots of facts and trivia, some fun
and some sublime, about the Church.
Divided into 19 chapters, it covers
everything from basic beliefs, to the history of the Church, the
communion of saints, morality and beyond.
The book is written in an informal
style, offering help with understanding the culture of Catholicism as
well as common sense answers for many frequently misunderstood aspects
of the faith. This book is a “must have” addition to any Catholic home
bookshelf.
Lord Have Mercy looks deeply
into the sacrament of Confession/ Penance by reviewing its earliest
roots in Judaism, following its evolution through the earliest Christian
times, and then delving into the endless spiritual fruits as it is
practiced today. The author, a well known convert from fundamentalist
Protestantism to Catholicism, gives a very insightful personal witness
to the sacrament and offers sound but understandable theology for wading
through some of the more controversial aspects of Confession.
The book creates in the reader an
uplifting renewal of the heart’s desire to return to God and inspires
frequent reception of the sacrament. Any book that does that is well
worth reading!
